It shouldn’t be a surprise at this point to anyone that follows the Ontario Hockey League, but the London Knights have once again signed an incredible talent that seemed unlikely to ever play in the CHL. Adam Boqvist, selected 109th in the 2017 import draft, has decided to leave Sweden and play for the Knights in 2018-19. This comes after Boqvist was selected eighth-overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL Entry Draft, and quickly signed his entry-level contract.
Boqvist, 17, is an outstanding talent who possesses some of the best goal scoring ability of any defenseman in the most recent draft. His 2017-18 season was split between the junior league in Sweden and the SHL, almost entirely skipping the Allsvenskan where many young players develop. The undersized Boqvist loves to carry the puck and will join Evan Bouchard in London as one of the best 1-2 punches in the entire CHL. Both young defense prospects are right handed and may not play together, but will likely help the Knights push back near the top of the OHL once again.
For the Blackhawks, this allows them to keep a closer eye on Boqvist as he develops this season. Though the SHL would have certainly provided a good opportunity, London is arguably the best organization in the CHL for developing NHL talent, and have seen plenty of players take huge leaps while hitting the ice for them. Should he experience an OHL playoff run and perhaps even a Memorial Cup berth, Boqvist will get to play against many faces who he’ll be up against at the next level in a few years.
Absolutely love this as a Knights fan.